Other Planning Guidance and SPDs

Supplementary Planning Documents (SPDs) support the development plans. All matters covered in SPDs must relate to policies or proposals in the Core Strategy, DPD, AAP or a saved policy from the Local Plan 2030. Ashford has a number of adopted SPD's which are used as material considerations when assessing planning applications.

Affordable Housing SPD

Landscape Character SPD (includes AONB Management Plans)

Residential Parking SPD

Sustainable Drainage (SuDs) SPD

Residential Space & Layout SPD

Public Green Spaces and Water Environment SPD

Dark Skies SPD 2014

Stables, Arena's and Horse related Development SPD 2014

Fibre to the Premises SPD

If you wish to purchase a hard copy of an SPD please see the Policy Documents Price List.

Village Design Statements are also informally adopted design guidance related to many rural settlements.

Informal design guidance notes

The council’s corporate and plan-making focus is on creating good quality homes and delivering good design through attention to all aspects of place-making. A series of Informal Guidance Notes has been produced to help ensure that applicants and designers give careful early consideration to certain areas of fine detail that are important to help achieve this objective.

The series will be added to as appropriate over time where it is considered that further guidance is necessary. The success of these Notes will be reviewed as new developments are occupied and monitored.

The notes will be taken into consideration when determining planning proposals for new homes. Proposals that are considered unsatisfactory will not be approved or recommended to the Planning Committee for approval.

Design Guidance Note 1: Residential layouts & wheeled-bins [pdf] 1MB

Design Guidance Note 1 (Appendix 1): 'At a glance' summary sheet [pdf] 506KB

Design Guidance Note 2: Screening containers at homes [pdf] 471KB

Design Guidance Note 3: Moving wheeled-bins through covered parking facilities to the collection point [pdf] 633KB

Design Guidance Note 4: Non-Mains Drainage For Local Planning Authorities and Developers [pdf] 3943KB

Non-main foul drainage guidance

Some rural areas do not have access to mains foul drainage. A number of alternative options, such as septic tanks, package treatment plants and sealed cesspits, exist for proposed developments in these locations. Some options may generate the need for an Environment Permit from the Environment Agency (EA) which is separate from the grant of planning permission by this Council

Some non-mains foul drainage options are considered to pose a contamination risk to ground water transmitted by the sub-surface aquifer. It should not be assumed that a Permit will be forthcoming from the EA or that the Council will grant planning permission with unknown drainage arrangements and secure details by means of a planning condition. Applicants should consider appropriate drainage options as part of good site and environmental design. Options that may represent the only acceptable solution in order to obtain a necessary Permit may impact on design layout and so will need to be considered at an early stage of design development. Guidance Note 4 Non Mains Drainage For LPA [pdf] 3943KB, produced through discussion with the EA, provides further guidance on these matters.

Solar power guidance

The energy of the sun can be harnessed to generate electricity and hot water. Photovoltaic (PV) or solar thermal panels can be installed on individual buildings or free standing on the ground. PV arrays can be small scale or large commercial arrays and we have prepared Renewable Energy Planning Guidance Notes to assist householders, communities and developers in bringing forward their development ambitions. These Planning Guidance Notes are:

They have been approved by the council's cabinet and will advise decision makers when determining planning applications.